Survivor Palau is over, and perhaps the least deserving person won. Tom Westman, a fireman from Long Island, has way too much guts, heart, and spirit to win this season. Osten Taylor, the legendary Survivor Quitter would be more appropriate.

While Jeff Probst said that this was one of the best seasons ever, I have just one question. What was he smoking in Palau, and can I have some? OK, that’s two questions, but whose counting? I am. I’m counting the number of people that quit this season. The answer….four. FOUR!! Just think about that, 20% of all the contestants decided they didn’t want to play anymore. They quit. Tapped out. Said, No mas’. Are you kidding me?!?

I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be so critical, but how can’t I be? First Ashley decided she didn’t like the game, so she asked to be voted out. Her tribemates at Ulong granted her wish. Then Mr. Coconut himself Jeff, decided his tweaked ankle was hurting just too much, and he wanted to go home to his ab-roller. So reluctantly (though I don’t know why) his tribemates voted him off.

Fast forward to Janu. There are some articles praising her. My brother sent me a magazine article, where one woman said she totally disrupted the whole game by doing what she did, and she showed true power by saving Stephanie. Stephanie lasted a whole three days longer. Ummmm….great job Janu. Why don’t I name some other person’s first born for you. Oh, I know. Because I don’t like quitters, and that’s already been done anyway. While I’ll try not to bash Baby Janu just yet, let’s just say that little girl has her work cut out for her.

While Ashley, Jeff’s and Janu’s quits, all were very bothersome, Ian’s blew me away. This guy, just stood for more than eleven hours on a buoy, and was head to head with one of the most dominant players this game has ever seen. He wanted to beat Tom. He had to beat Tom. He refused to make a deal with Tom.

Being from Long Island, I was rooting pretty hard for Tom. But when Ian didn’t make that deal, and when he told Tom he was fine, I respected Ian. I respected how he played the game, I respected his passion, and I respected the fact that he was going to make Tom be at his best to beat him.

Until he quit. Until he tapped out. Please, spare me the part about getting his respectability back. Survivor is a game, a great game, one of the best games ever invented. But it’s a game where you may have to lie. And though Ian didn’t have to lie, and never should have openly agreed with the girls to oust Tom if he didn’t win immunity, he still played a strong game. He knew at six, he had to make a move. He knew the game was getting away from him. Yes Caryn, you were the ultimate pawn. Tom and Ian used you, and then discarded you when you weren’t needed. Ian was brilliant.

But then the girl got in the way. He let Katie ruin his game for him. He loved Katie, and was willing to not only lose his shot at the money, the car, and the glory, but he was willing to quit so she could stay in the game. He was willing to make a decision, that he should regret the rest of his life. But Katie told him not to. She told him she would never ask that of him.

And much like other quitters, Ian stayed in the game. Until he wanted to quit again. And this time, no one talked him out of it. I would have had more respect for Ian, had he told Tom that he was going to fight till the end, but after the fight was over, he would give immunity to Tom if he beats him. Because that way, we would have seen a winner. Not a winner beating a quitter.

Is Tom the best Survivor ever? Maybe. He was dominant. He was strong. He was smart. He was great. And outside of Bobby Jon and Gregg, he had no competition. All the woman were weak and had no athletic skills. The one that looked like she did only appeared that way because she went against the females. Don’t think I’m right? Ask Stephanie. She said so herself on Survivor Live. She knew she couldn’t compete against the guys, even if the rest of America didn’t.

But at least she got pizza when she jumped off. All Ian got was….was…..you know, I don’t have any clue what Ian got. I guess I can’t understand quitters.

This season was the best in one respect. The early challenges. I hope Survivor makes these type of one on one challenges a staple. It shows real early who has the heart to play this game. I also liked that three of the individual challenges were endurance related.

I wish Jeff Probst was as hard on Jeff during the show, as he was during the after show last night. Probst appeared to despise Osten. He certainly didn’t appear to be the least bit upset with any of the four quitters this season. C’mon Jeff, your better than this. Pick it up.

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